Why Lamine Yamal comparisons to Lionel Messi are ‘annoying’ ex-Barcelona star – with teenage wonderkid backed to become a legend in his own right

World Cup winner Villa spent three years at Camp Nou between 2010 and 2013, allowing him to rub shoulders with Argentine superstar Messi. He is now watching on from afar as another La Masia academy graduate takes the global game by storm.

Barca wonderkid Yamal is still only 17 years of age, but Villa has told AS of the obvious potential that the Euro 2024 winner possesses: “He’s an incredible kid. How he plays, how he understands football… it’s true that I don’t know him personally, but I’ve been with him a couple of times and he looks very calm and focused.

“This is not the explosion of a footballer who is going to last a few months. He’s been there for a while now where, you could say, he could have made a mistake and the opposite is true. He is very good and every time you see him play, he plays better. He also knows what it means to be a champion.”

With Yamal being tipped to become a legend in his own right, Villa added on the unhelpful comparisons that do nobody in Catalunya any favours: “I think that comparing any player to Messi is annoying nowadays. Lamine Yamal is already a world star. He’s been achieving important things for two years and, as a Cule, I’m excited again.

“And of course the fans have the right to be excited about him, but I don’t think it’s necessary to compare him with Messi because he’s going to have a very good career.”

Yamal has already taken in over 70 appearances for Barcelona, while earning 17 senior caps for Spain. He has been nursing an untimely injury of late, but could figure prominently in a bid to open 2025 with Spanish Super Cup success.